text: Mark Harris was best known for baseball stories including the 1956 novel Bang the Drum Slowly. His baseball tales were narrated by Henry Wiggen, a pitcher for the fictional New York Mammoths. Glenn Altschuler, professor of American Studies at Cornell University, discusses Harris' life and writing. Glenn Altschuler, Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Professor of American Studies, Cornell University NEAL CONAN, host:  This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington.  Here are headlines from some of the stories we're following here today at NPR News. A military judge today dismissed terrorism-related charges against one detainee in Guantanamo Bay charged with killing an American soldier in Afghanistan. The ruling throws into doubt dozens of other cases. And 10 Republican presidential candidates square off in a debate tomorrow night in New Hampshire. Fred Thompson will not be there. However, the actor and former Tennessee senator, though not yet an official candidate is already making a major impact on the race. You can hear details on those stories and, of course, much more later today on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.  Tomorrow on TALK OF THE NATION, "Richistan" author Robert Frank guides us through the parallel world of the new rich and their conspicuous consumption and performance philanthropy. "Richistan", tomorrow on TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News.  The writer Mark Harris passed away on Friday at the age of 84. He was a professor of English, wrote non-fiction and 50 novels. He will be best remembered for four books about baseball pitcher Henry Wiggen who played for the fictional New York Mammoths in the South Pole. "Bang the Drums Slowly", "A Ticket for a Seam Stitch" and a "Book Like Forever".  In 1973, "Bang the Drum Slowly" was adapted into a movie of the same name. It's about a catcher named Bruce Pearson played by Robert De Niro who tells no one that he has Hodgkin's disease until Henry Wiggen, the pitcher played by Michael Moriarty finds him in the hospital.  (Soundbite of movie "Bang the Drum Slowly")  Mr. MICHAEL MORIARTY (Actor): (As Henry Wiggen) I'm really sorry to woke you. I was hoping it wouldn't happen in bed. I was hoping it wouldn't happen this time. Make it back to you another time.  Mr. ROBERT DE NIRO (Actor): (As Bruce Pearson) No, there's not going to be another time.  Mr. MORIARTY: (As Henry Wiggen) That's your problem bring pining woods back up now. He is going to be real happy. It's a bad thing I've come.  Mr. DE NIRO: (As Bruce Pearson) Oh yeah, yeah.  Mr. MORIARTY: (As Henry Wiggen) Ghost one there.  Mr. DE NIRO: (As Bruce Pearson) Ghost? Why ghost?  (Soundbite of laughter)  Mr. MORIARTY: (As Henry Wiggen) We can (unintelligible) down the hall.  Mr. DE NIRO: (As Bruce Pearson) Coach, got to go.  Mr. MORIARTY: (As Henry Wiggen) Yeah. Go, that really show.  (Soundbite of laughter)  Mr. DE NIRO: (As Bruce Pearson) Probably you told them something?  Mr. MORIARTY: (As Henry Wiggen) I never told a soul.  Mr. DE NIRO: (As Bruce Pearson) Yeah?  Mr. MORIARTY: (As Henry Wiggen) Probably everybody would be nice to you if they knew you were dying.  Mr. DE NIRO: (As Bruce Pearson) Everybody knows everybody's dying. That's what people are scared as they are.  Mr. MORIARTY: (As Henry Wiggen) I'm scared, no (unintelligible) me.  CONAN: A scene from "Bang the Drum Slowly", which is based on the novel by Mark Harris who died last week. If you knew Mark Harris, if you've read his book, just give us a call, 800-9989-8255, email talk@npr.org.  Joining us now is Glenn Altschuler, a professor of American Studies at Cornell University. He teaches a seminar on baseball literature. Professor Altschuler, nice to have you back on TALK OF THE NATION.  Professor GLEN ALTSCHULER (American Studies, Cornell University): Nice to be with you.  CONAN: And that's a powerful scene from the movie version of the "Bang the Drum Slowly". Tell us a little more about the book.  Prof. ALTSCHULER: Well, the book is a wonderful book. Mark Harris was really the first person to write about baseball - write baseball fiction for adults. And his books explore important subjects about the American values and American society, about race, about aging, and about death. And "Bang the Drum Slowly" brings many of those themes together. As Bruce Pearson is dying, he brings a baseball team that was factionalized together as each member learns about Bruce's impending death.  CONAN: And one of the great last lines in movies from now on, I make fun of nobody.  Prof. ALTSCHULER: I rag nobody.  CONAN: I rag nobody. Yeah.  Prof. ALTSCHULER: That's what he says and he says earlier on, everybody dies sooner or later and that might be true too, but when it's happening sooner instead of later, you keep worrying about what you say now and how you act now.  CONAN: The voice of Henry Wiggen, the pitcher. The "Southpaws" is a much -well, funnier book in a lot of ways. People might recall, you know, the books have Ring Lardner in the '20s and '30s as sort of